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Monday, September 28, 2015

Welcome to the Featured World of Ink Network here on BlogTalkRadio Wed. August 26, 2015. The
World
of Ink Network brings you shows each week on topics such as books,
writing, author interviews, self-help and much more. Your hosts today
are Virginia S Grenier and Marsha Cook.

On today's show, Author Lynn Steward returns to chat about her Dana McGarry series. Lynn Steward
spent many years in New York City’s fashion industry in marketing and
merchandising, including the development of the first women’s department
at a famous men’s clothing store. Through extensive research, and an
intimate knowledge of the period, Steward created the characters and
stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New
York in the seventies. A Very Good Life, Steward’s debut novel, was published in March 2014 and twice ranked #1 on Amazon.

Although Lynn Steward’s debut novel,A Very Good Life, takes place in 1970s New York City, the emotional story transcends any period. Dana McGarry is living a privileged lifestyle of a well-heeled junior executive at B. Altman, a high end department store. With a storybook husband and a fairytale life, change comes swiftly and unexpectedly. Cracks begin to appear in the perfect facade. Challenged at work by unethical demands, and the growing awareness that her relationship with her distant husband is strained, Dana must deal with the unwanted changes in her life. Can she find her place in the new world where women can have a voice, or will she allow herself to be manipulated into doing things that go against her growing self-confidence?

A Very Good Life chronicles the perils and rewards of Dana’s journey, alongside some of the most legendary women of the twentieth century. From parties at Café des Artistes to the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, from meetings with business icons like Estée Lauder to cocktail receptions with celebrity guests like legendaryVogueeditor Diana Vreeland. Steward’s intimate knowledge of the period brings to life a relatable story about a woman’s quest for independence.

A Very Good Life ranked #1 on Amazon’s list of 100 Top Free eBooks in Literary and Fiction

At the cutting edge of women’s fashion in the 1970s, an underestimated young woman leaves a broken marriage and her lethal charm goes to work to remake retail, and herself, at New York’s most glamorous department store.

Newly single, Dana McGarry learns she must divorce herself from more than a bad marriage to succeed. Not only must she prove to overly protective family and friends that she can make it on her own, but she also must challenge an antagonistic boss who keeps standing in her way. Moving out of her comfort zone and into the arms of a dynamic businessman, Dana bets it all on a daring new move that will advance her career, but at what price? Her dreams within reach, Dana’s world is shattered in a New York minute when a life is threatened, a secret is revealed, and her heart is broken.

The series follows Dana McGarry’s rise in the fashion industry from a buyer at the legendary B. Altman department store to the youngest woman owner of a couture house on Seventh Avenue. It may be the dawn of the women’s movement, but, in the world of women’s fashion, there’s no sisterly-love. Dana is stymied by an unyielding boss who bonds with a jealous fashion director whom Dana has replaced as the executive vice president’s protégé. In her personal life, not unlike Coco Chanel, Dana’s wealthy suitors open doors and opportunities to further her career, and, like Chanel, Dana “never wanted to weigh more heavily on a man than a bird.”

Intermingling fashion legends, iconic business women, real events, and untold stories of that time, The Dana McGarry Seriesis rich with historic content. In Dana’s world are spirited multi-generational women who are determined to make their mark, and conflicted men who are keeping up appearances with secrets, lies, deception, and manipulation.

You can also follow us at our blog,
Facebook and Twitter. Also, look for all our World of Ink Network hosts
on Facebook and Twitter. The World Of Ink Network has endeavored to
create radio shows geared toward excellence in the reading/publishing
community. As our company has grown to a viral reach of nearly two
million, we have decided to step into a new and exciting adventure. If
you'd like to be on our network or need commercial advertising,
marketing and writing help, please visit our website http://worldofinknetwork.com

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Johnny Depp is scary as Whitey Bulger in Black Mass but it’s not enough to make this movie a blockbuster. I’m giving it a B-.

James “Whitey” Bulger grew up on the streets of South Boston and made a
name for himself as a thug. After a stint in Alcatraz, he sets out to
hit the big time as a leader of the Irish Mafia in Boston. With the help
of the FBI, his killing spree becomes legendary.

Black
Mass comes across as a documentary, detailing the rise and fall of
James Bulger. Johnny Depp is almost unrecognizable with the bald patch
and blue eyes but it’s the stillness, the obsessive control that shows
his depth of getting into the mind and personality of this killer. It
might garner him a few award nods.

There’s
really no characters to connect with in this story and that’s what
makes this movie hard to love. You come away with a better understanding
of James Bulger and his team, but you’re not sorry for the choices they
made. Everyone was fodder if they got in his way or went against him. I
found myself admiring his cunning at using others for his own benefit
(such as the FBI), but hated that he used everyone in his life…his
brother, friends…and no one was safe from his retribution. He gives new
meaning to cold-blooded killer.

Benedict
Cumberbatch did an amazing job as James’s younger brother who was an
important figure in Boston’s government. The question of how much his
influence kept Whitey safe, was never really answered. I don’t think we
will really know. But he wasn’t the only big name…Dakota Johnson and
Kevin Bacon also had wonderful performances.

Black
Mass would make a wonderful drinking game movie, since there’s so many F
bombs that you would be smashed in the first fifteen minutes of the
film. The numerous cold-blooded assassinations make this a movie not for
the faint of heart.

Listen live at 3pm Eastern - 2pm Central - 1pm Mountain - 12 noon Pacific or on demand any time you'd like here on BlogTalkRadio, Facebook or iTunes.

The World Of Ink Network has endeavored to create radio shows geared toward excellence in the reading/publishing community. As our company has grown to a viral reach of nearly two million, we have decided to step into a new and exciting adventure. If you'd like to be on our network or need commercial advertising, marketing and writing help, please visit our website http://worldofinknetwork.com

Saturday, September 19, 2015

http://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Self-Published-Book-into-Libraries

If you're a self-published author who is trying to promote your book
and get it into bookstores, why not try getting it into a library first?
Libraries are great marketing tools - they enable people to read your
book and tell other people about it, making it more well-known and
easier to eventually sell to bookstores.

Steps

1

Ensure that your book is high quality. Many people
are wary of self-published books because they believe that they are low
quality. Make sure that your book is formatted and has been carefully
edited. Also, choose your bindings carefully, as libraries generally
won't stock books with that are comb bound, spiral bound, or saddle
stitched (stapled). It's a good idea to call your local library and ask
them what their requirements are. Ensure that the cover makes the book
look professional and interesting, as many people do judge a book by its
cover.

2

Promote your book. Start promoting your book before
contacting libraries to get the word out and show that you're serious.
Create a website or blog for your book, and make sure it looks
professional.

3

Be professional. Find out who the acquisitions
librarian is (the librarian who purchases books for the library or
branch), and call her, email her, or set up a brief meeting with her to
ask about donating some copies of your books. Don't just put your book
in the donations bin or hand it to a random librarian at the check out
counter - chances are it will end up in a book sale that way. Be polite,
professional, and respectful. Consider giving her a copy to look over
if she seems unsure about your book.

4

Be prepared to donate a few copies. Libraries are
usually non-profit organizations, and as such, they like donations.
However, most libraries will require you to donate more than one copy of
your book, as it costs money to catalogue it and is only worth their
time and money if there's more than one copy in their library. Some
libraries have special systems or sections in the library specifically
for self-published local authors, so enquire about that.

5

Get a review. In order to not only get the attention
of the not only the librarians, but the general public, get your book
reviewed. Try to land a review from Library Journal, CHOICE, Booklist,
Publishers Weekly, or Kirkus Reviews. There are also programs that will
send flyers about your book to local libraries for a fee.

6

Ask others to request your book. Libraries usually
take requests seriously, so it's a great way to get them to put your
book on the shelves. Ask some friends and family members to request your
book. Be careful that you don't have them submit dozens of spam-like
requests for your book; librarians can tell which requests are fake and
which are legitimate, and they won't be happy if you waste their time
with fake requests.

7

Continue marketing your book. Once you get the book
on the library shelves, your battle isn't necessarily over. Libraries
will usually weed out books if they don't circulate well to free up
shelf space for books that will. Make sure to promote your book as much
as possible to ensure that people want to take it out.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Join Marsha Casper Cook when
she discusses Social Media and making it work for you on Thursday
September 17 at 4PM EST 3 PM CST 2 PM MT 1 PM PST with her special guest
Mindy Halleck, an expert on social Media, especially Twitter.

Marsha Casper Cook - Partner of the World of Ink Network, Agent,
Award-winning Script Writer, Novelist, Writing Coach, Media Release
Specialist, Blog Talk Radio Host and Founder of Michigan Avenue Media.
Marsha Casper Cook is the author of 8 published books and 11
feature-length screenplays, some optioned, a literary agent with 18
years of experience and the host of BTR's World of Ink Network shows: A
Good Story Is A Good Story where she has recorded over 500 shows.

Mindy Halleck is an award winning author who lives in the Pacific
Northwest. In 2015 her short story, A MOTHER’S CONFESSION won first
place in the Writer’s Digest Fiction Writing Contest, and another of her
short stories, THE FRENCHMAN, won first place in the Edmond’s EPIC
Fiction Writing Contest.

Mindy’s debut novel, RETURN TO SENDER was released by Booktrope Books in 2014 and continues to garner 5 Star reviews.

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